highly pleasing. Deeply delicious is a scallop taco with asparagus
and a slightly sweet chipotle glaze or a skirt steak taco with fingerling
potatoes and chimichurri sauce. Then there’s the blackened
salmon taco with shitake mushroom corn relish, cilantro aioli and
crisped bacon. Vegetarians aren’t forgotten, as seen in a wonderful
panko-roasted cauliflower taco with black bean puree, pickled red
onions and cashew salsa. Tacos are just one of many alluring choices
and a must-order starter is the guacamole, which comes with big
slices of bacon and crunchy pistachios. 1411 The Alameda, San Jose,
408/275-1411; 81 W. Main St., Los Gatos, 408/884-8268; zonarosasj.com
Sun of Wolf
This popular new spot in South Palo Alto comes from a prodigious
restaurant family that has long operated several beloved Mexican
dining locations on the Peninsula such as La Fiesta and Palo Alto
Sol. However, the younger generation behind Sun of Wolf has its
own unique take on Hispanic cuisine that is just slightly so. For
example, a remarkable family lasagna recipe shows up on the menu,
as does Thai-style, pan-seared cod, an excellent cheeseburger and
hamachi crudo tostada, which piles the rich raw fish on a small
tortilla and pairs it with avocado puree, mango-citrus salsa and a
drizzle of guajillo-infused oil. Don’t miss the blackberry-chocolate
tart for dessert. There’s just one glorious taco on the menu but it’s
worth a trip: duck confit taco on handmade huitlacoche (Mexican
truffle) tortilla with avocado puree and flor de jamaica gastrique.
406 California Ave., Palo Alto, 650/325-8888; sunofwolfpa.com
Milagros Latin Kitchen
Like the other high-end taco purveyors in the area, Milagros is
super-picky about ingredients, sourcing them from local farmers
and paying attention to environmental issues. The restaurant’s half
dozen taco offerings come on handmade tortillas and elevate the
simple taco concept to new levels, as seen in a tomato-braised organic
chicken taco with marinated red onions, sour cream, queso fresco
and micro cilantro. Or try the breaded wild shrimp taco crusted in
coconut with passionfruit-jalapeño salsa, or the wild salmon taco
in chile lime spicing with chimichurri and corn salsas. The same
creative flair is seen in the rest of the menu, which is offered in
an expansive, handsome environment featuring both indoor and
outdoor tequila bars and patio dining. Not surprisingly, Milagros
also serves popular dishes like avocado toast, yucca fries and churro
sundae with hot fudge and caramel. 1099 Middlefield Rd., Redwood
City, 650/369-4730; milagrosrc.com
La Viga Seafood
Mexico City native Manual Martinez, owner-chef of La Viga,
has had quite a career at regional French restaurants and brings
his skill and high-end sensibilities to the seafood-focused menu
here, which is peppered with one delicious choice after another.
Folded inside homemade tortillas, the tacos are all winners, from
the snapper filet with chipotle cream and cured cabbage, grilled
salmon with mango and avocado salsas in creamy cilantro lime
sauce, and crispy shrimp with tomatillo sauce, to some lusty meat
choices. Try the braised pork taco with its exotic hint of orange
spiced up with habañero or chicken with mole sauce accented by
pickled onions and sesame seeds. Plentiful non-taco enticements
are offered such as breaded, fried avocado with black bean salsa
wrapped in a tortilla, a magnificent whole seabass and fusion-y crab
cakes topped with mango habañero sauce. 1772 Broadway, Redwood
City, 650/679-8141; lavigaseafood.com
Hola,
ICE
CREAM
Tacos!
With so many ingredients
being wrapped up in new-age
tacos these days, it was only a
matter of time until desserts
joined the party, as seen at
Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos.
Lori Phillips is a local dog
lover (the operation is named
for one of her pooches) who
churns out organic, artisanal
ice cream flavors that are then
wrapped in a house-made
waffle cone standing in for a
tortilla, which is then dipped
and flash-frozen with liquid
nitrogen. For true hedonism,
the ice cream taco can be
sprinkled with one of several
crunchies like nuts, cocao nibs,
toffee, pretzels and more.
This isn’t supermarket ice
cream. A dozen flavors include
yummies like snickerdoodle
with gold plum, matcha, lemon
blueberry, peanut butter
caramel and peach ginger.
Naturally, the coffee ice cream
is made from trendy Verve
coffee and the dips include
dark chocolate, milk chocolate,
white chocolate or peanut
butter. Rather than the usual
soggy cone with melting ice
cream, this modern approach
keeps the wrapper crispy and
the ice cream solid. And then
there’s the taste, with “wow”
being the usual response from
Rocko’s growing fan base.
Made to order, these ice
cream tacos let eaters be creative
in mixing and matching
all the possibilities. How about
a honey lavender taco dipped
in dark chocolate with caramel
drizzle? Or tiramisu in milk
chocolate with chopped pistachios?
Rocko’s has a scoop
shop in Santa Clara as well as
a truck that cruises to various
events and gourmet gatherings
like Off the Grid. To hunt
down the food truck schedule
for this blissful treat, check the
website.
Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos,
2905 Park Ave., Santa Clara,
650/762-5608; rockos
icecreamtacos.com.
Rocko's
Ice
Cream
Tacos
February/March 2019 89
